What is the name of this book?

Question

When I was little, I used a read this book (or maybe a series of books) that was about a family from Salt Lake City and had three sons. All I remember is that they were the first family to have an indoor toilet and one of the sons charged his friends admission to see it. Also, when one of the brothers came down with something, the mother put them all in the same bed so that they would all get it and be sick at once instead of one at a time. The youngest boy had a friend with the mumps and had him breathe in his face so that he could catch something first. That way his brothers would still be sick after he was feeling better.

I remembered this book the other day and it's been driving me nuts trying to figure out what it was! The last time I read it would have been in grade school.

Answer 1

You're thinking of the first book in the "Great Brain" series by John D. Fitzgerald called "The Great Brain". Other books in the series include, "The Great Brain is Back", "More Adventures of the Great Brain", and "Me and My Little Brain". These books basically chronicle the adventures of Tom (aka The Great Brain) and his admiring younger brother J.D. as they grow up in 1890s Utah.

The indoor toilet story takes place in the first chapter of "The Great Brain".

Answer 2

You're thinking of the Great Brain series, by John D. Fitzgerald.

Answer 3

Maybe it was a collection of short stories? I remember out minister reading some short stories that were based on the author's life as a child and those seem similar to what she read.

Answer 4

Distant Babylon

Answer 5

I remember that book!! I will try to remember what it was. I remember that the mother was horrified to think that they were going to have and indoor privy. RIght?

Was it "Bringing Up Father"?

Answer 6

baba booey